Heavy Mirror on plasterboard(?) wall

FreshlyCutFlowers

Hello again forum, I'm here yet again for advice.

I've hung plenty of little pictures in my home and used picture string etc to adjust them and get the height right when hanging multiple next to each other, but I worry my next task may be harder.

I want to hang up a heavy mirror on my wall (10.6 kg) in the upstairs dormer. This wall is from what I can tell plasterboard though I could be wrong. I also don't have a stud finder and the mirror doesnt have any existing hooks.

1) I've attached a picture of the mirror and it looks like it doesnt go all the way to the edges of the frame but I'm not sure if I should drill into this and if so, what I should drill in. I want the picture to hang horizontally/landscape style on the wall.

2) Because the mirror is quite heavy, can plasterboard take this weight? I'm not sure where the studs are.

3) Additionally, there is an electrical outlet I want to cover up with this mirror (its an outlet high on the wall) is it safe to drill to the left and right of this electrical outlet?

4) Lastly, assuming I figure out the above, when I hang pictures next to each other I often find I need to attach them to the hooks with string so I can make some slight height adjustments and make them look level compared to each other. I worry that with the length of this mirror I won't get it 'right' the first time and so I need to be able to adjust the height on either side I reckon. Probably don't want to use some picture string for their weight however?

jlfrs01

I think you're going to need the sort of cavity wall heavy duty screwsets that people use when wall mounting TVs. These feature a metal "rawlplug" which expands the other side of the wall as you screw in to it, should be sold in most DIY stores. Don't use string (it will stretch) but picture wire. Buy some of those eyelets which you can hand screw onto the back of the mirrors (in the wood) either by hand or using a pair of pliers. Then thread the wire through, allow a few inches extra before cutting off with pliers. Then twist each end around the wire between the eyelets before placing against the spot you want to hang it using a finger in the middle of the wire as a guide for the screw to hang it on. You will need help as it's heavy. If you do get it wrong you can adjust the height by tightening or loosening the wire on the back.
As for the socket, the supply to it should run vertically so you ought to be alright if you drill into the wall to the left or right of it enough to ensure the mirror provides coverage.. If in doubt, buy one of those tools electricians use to identify cables.

FreeBear

I'd not bother with wire or string, especially if you only use one hook on the wall - All the weight will be concentrated in one small spot, so more likely to fail. Instead, I'd suggest one of these -

https://www.toolstation.com/mirror-plate-slotted/p17481

https://www.toolstation.com/flushmount-fitting/p60564

Does mean you have to be dead accurate in drilling holes in the walls and fixing the brackets to the frame. But the load will be distributed between two (or more) fixings, so less likely to fail.

Postik

When I hung a big heavy mirror on a plasterboard wall I used mollybolts. You need a setting tool but basically they have legs which sprawl out behind the plasterboard to hold them in place. The bolts and the tool are cheap enough from Screwfix and you can see a video of how to use them online.

The mirror I hung specifically said not to use wire or string, I suspect because it can stretch, snap or come loose.

For this kind of thing I tend to measure about thirty times and try to use a long spirit level. I also drill a very small pilot hole first so the drill doesn't drift when drilling the larger hole.

ashe

I'm going to go against the grain and suggest something totally different 

Our walls are made of a material called strammit board / basically Compressed straw with a layer of thin plaster, apparently good for being thin but a nightmare for fixings. 

Girlfriend wanted a large mirror....

Also our hallway we had an issue because there was a socket below where we wanted the mirror to go 

Both these mirrors are fixed to the wall with.... industrial strength Velcro! 

The big one is leant against the wall but it could take the weight if it was hung, as Initially we had it hung.  I first used this stuff to create a cat safe fibreglass door and it survived having 3 8kg cats climbing on it at once with a few thin strips.

the adhesive is very, very strong and the strips are wide. It's rated for 7kg per 50mm*100mm strip, and comes in 1m strips 

VELCRO Brand Heavy Duty Stick On Tape Cut-to-Length Industrial Extra Strong Double Sided Hook & Loop Self Adhesive Tape Perfect for Room Décor & Home, Office, Garage Use Black 50mm x 1m
https://amzn.eu/d/7qQs9aG

It allows you to be completely flexible on position and not worry about electrical outlets or stud positions 

twopenny

Wow classy house Ashe!

Wish mine was like that.

Interesting about the velchro. I'm interested.

I've used double sided adhesive velchro for blackout blinds and even double sided tape to hem stuff when I first moved in and it's all still there. Considered using adhesive for stone till I got it done properly.

So amazing what is out there that's new.

I have a similar problem with the rubbish plasterboard I have here and used anything to hand to prop up the mirror first and get it the right height and straight. Not sure of my work so tapped some small headless nails to support it invisibly at the bottom.

But that's one heck of a heavy mirror! You need some very secure fixings on the mirror as well as the wall.

ashe

twopenny said:

Wow classy house Ashe!

Wish mine was like that.

Interesting about the velchro. I'm interested.

I've used double sided adhesive velchro for blackout blinds and even double sided tape to hem stuff when I first moved in and it's all still there. Considered using adhesive for stone till I got it done properly.

So amazing what is out there that's new.

I have a similar problem with the rubbish plasterboard I have here and used anything to hand to prop up the mirror first and get it the right height and straight. Not sure of my work so tapped some small headless nails to support it invisibly at the bottom.

But that's one heck of a heavy mirror! You need some very secure fixings on the mirror as well as the wall.

Honestly if you've never used this stuff the adhesive is very strong. I was surprised as I've used Velcro for a few other things and it was just the standards sticky stuff, this stuff is going nowhere!We put it in strips along the back in 5 rows so the load was distributed in both directions and all along the mirror body. OP's mirror appeared to have a frame so you could just use that edge. If you use 5x strips at the rated length that's 35kg, our strips were probably twice as long though 

Swasterix

jlfrs01 said:

 As for the socket, the supply to it should run vertically so you ought to be alright if you drill into the wall to the left or right of it enough to ensure the mirror provides coverage.. If in doubt, buy one of those tools electricians use to identify cables.

This couldn’t be more wrong. Vertically OR horizontally from a fixture is classed as a safe zone so there may well be cables either side. If it’s been fitted by a cowboy, the cable could actually be anywhere. 

Don’t give advice if you don’t know what you’re talking about, it’s dangerous. 

OP. I wouldn’t drill anywhere near a socket without being 100% sure where the cable runs. 

stuart45

Also, if it's a thin wall you need to check the other side for sockets.

Postik

Just to add to the above, if it's a plasterboard stud wall with cables behind, those cable identifier devices generally don't work.  I know because I tried.  I asked an electrician friend if there was a better version I could use and he said none of them were likely to work properly.  In the end I drilled a very small and shallow hole, very slowly, and broke through the final piece of plasterboard by hand with a small screwdriver, and was then able to feel and check there was nothing behind.